Christmas at Downton
by GranthamGal
Summary: It is Christmas, 1894, and the Crawleys are preparing for the arrival of Martha Levinson and their much anticipated second child. A companion story to "Summer in Newport."
1. Chapter 1

A/N: As promised, the companion story to _Summer in Newport._ I do hope you all enjoy!

* * *

Little Lady Mary Crawley was on a mission.

She had been most rudely and unceremoniously banned from her mama's room earlier in the morning. Strangely, ever since they had returned from America, it seemed as though her parents no longer wanted her in their bedroom. Gone were the days of them yielding to most of her whims and instead, Miss Russell was back to care for her during the days and evenings. That morning she had tried to sneak off to Mama's room, but was met by Papa's stern expression at the door as he explained that Mama was resting and she could not visit her right now.

Papa said that Mama was resting, but she was far too smart to believe that. She was three now, after all. She knew what was going on; it was that baby's fault. Lately everything seemed to be that baby's fault. It still was stuck inside Mama and all it did was make her sleepy and too big to play. Every time Granny came to visit she brought presents for the baby's room: new toys, blankets, and even books. She was not allowed to touch any of them, Miss Russell said. And Papa only wanted to be near Mama. He was _always_ with her. That baby was becoming quite a problem.

And so, she resolved to fix it herself. That baby was not going to keep her from _her_ mama. Once Miss Russell left her alone in her room for an afternoon nap, Mary waited an appropriate amount of time before hopping out from under the covers and toddling right out and down the hallway with her destination in sight. Once she reached her mama's door, though, she paused. There were voices coming from the inside, one was Mama's and the other sounded deep like Papa's but it wasn't Papa. Curiously, Mary clicked open the door very quietly and peeked around. Mama was lying on her bed again and the doctor was there, too, poking her belly. Mary furrowed her eyebrows in concern and burst into the room with great enthusiasm, frightening both Cora and the doctor.

"Mama, are you sick?" Mary cried, rushing over to the bed.

Bewilderedly, Cora sat up and dismissed the doctor with a sheepish grin before allowing Mary to hop up beside her. "No, Mary darling. The doctor is just checking on the baby," she explained, patting her stomach.

Mary nodded and frowned. Everyone wanted to check on the baby. That was why she had to sneak away just to see Mama. It was rather unfair. And just as she was about to ask Mama to play with her or read to her, once again her plans were thwarted. She watched with a deep frown as her papa entered the room without even knocking.

"Mary, what on earth are you doing in here?" He asked, incredulously.

"—Oh it's all right," Cora interrupted, looking down at Mary with an indulgent grin and pulling her close. "I've barely been able to see my little darling at all."

Mary nodded in agreement, frowning at her papa as she tried to hug Mama, but she was unsuccessful, as her little arms could not quite make it around Mama's very large belly.

"I suppose you've won this battle, Mary," Robert said with a smile, sitting down on the bed beside them. Mary giggled and moved so she was between her parents. Finally, things were back to normal. If only that silly baby wasn't on its way to ruin everything.

"Papa, will you read to me and Mama?" Mary asked softly, after a few moments. She looked up with her best most ladylike smile in the hopes that he could not refuse her.

"Alright, I will read to you but only if you come back to the nursery and we let Mama get some rest," Robert bargained, wholly unable to resist his little daughter's grin.

Mary pouted and looked to her mama for some reinforcement. "But Mama always rests," she whined, clutching Cora's arm more tightly.

"Mary, sweetheart, we talked about this, remember? Until the baby comes, I am going to need to rest more than usual. But do you remember what else we talked about?" Cora looked down at her expectantly and brushed the stray curls away from her little forehead.

"No." Mary said with another pout.

Cora grinned and looked over at Robert. Mary was nothing if not stubborn. "Aunt Rosamund will be here on Friday evening. But tomorrow is a very special day because your grandmamma will finally be here!" Though Cora was incredibly tired, she tried to sound excited and smile as much as she could to get Mary excited as well. She had been a most boring playmate as of recent, she knew, but this late in her pregnancy she was lucky to even be able to waddle around the house a few times a day.

Mary couldn't help but grin at that prospect. She _had_ forgotten that Grandmamma was coming tomorrow, and _she_ would most certainly want to play and she had even written and promised that she was bringing toys from America with her. Wordlessly, Mary stood on the bed and kissed Cora's cheek before turning and holding her arms out to Robert, who happily picked her up. It seemed as though they had all reached a détente.

"I shall be back in a bit," he called over his shoulder to Cora, as he led Mary out and toward her room for a bit of reading.

Cora sighed contentedly and let herself fall back against the pillows. Her hands absentmindedly trailed down to her rather enormous abdomen and she ran her fingers over the soft fabric of her day dress. She was ever so glad her mother would be arriving in the morning. Though they had only been back at Downton for almost four months, it seemed like another lifetime ago that they had been in Newport. Now it was midway through December and life at Downton was back in full swing. Most annoyingly, upon her return and visit to the doctor, she had learned that the doctor in Newport had overestimated just how far along she actually was. And so, now, she would be giving birth sometime before Christmas, which although a nice idea in theory, meant the house was buzzing with a most intense level of activity and stress due to the impending birth, her mother's arrival, and the holidays approaching.

Robert made it back to the nursery with Mary without incident but as soon as he shut the door behind them, Mary hopped out of his arms and looked at him with a grin that she could have only learned from her mother.

"Papa?" She asked in a very gentle voice.

"Yes, Mary?"

"Will _you_ play dollies with me?" She smiled a bit wider and reached up for his hand, dragging him over to the corner with her dolls before he could answer.

Robert blanched. He most certainly did not play _dollies_. "Mary, perhaps you should wait for Mama to wake up. Or perhaps you could just play quietly in here for a little while; Papa has work he must do." He held his breath and waited for Mary to start arguing with him.

She looked crestfallen as she dropped the doll she had picked up and sat dejectedly on the floor. "Ok, Papa," she murmured, reaching for the discarded dolly and looking at it.

Robert sighed a very long sigh. She was spending far too much time with his mother if she was this adept at manipulating him at age three. "How about you bring your dolly downstairs to the library and you sit with me while I work?"

Mary hopped up with a squeal and nodded. She grabbed her doll off the floor and skipped right out of the room, leaving Robert to follow quickly behind her. They made their way down to the library, rang for some tea, and Mary settled on the floor near the fireplace where it was warmest while Robert began sorting through some paperwork on the desk. He couldn't concentrate very well, though, as Mary chattered endlessly with her dolls and made constant noise from her little play area. Turning to peek over at his daughter, Robert knew he had had been defeated yet again. And so, he abandoned his paperwork and crossed the library to sit beside Mary on the floor.

"Perhaps I could play dolls with you for a bit," he reasoned, frowning slightly at the pile of dolls and frilly dresses Mary had carried down with her.

Grinning widely, Mary handed him one of the frillier dolls. "You may play with Clara, Papa, and I will play with Margaret," she explained. In a matter of moments, they were engrossed in a rather serious skit beside the fire, as Clara and Margaret prepared for a little tea party.

Robert had lost track of time, completely, until he heard the click of the library door, signaling that their actual tea had arrived. "Carson—" He began, but stopped midsentence and blanched as he saw who was actually at the door.

"Mama—"

Violet looked curiously at the scene before her. She wracked her memory quickly and decided that she had never seen Robert on the floor playing with multiple dolls before, thankfully. He was sitting cross-legged beside Mary and they both looked rather involved in some sort of game.

"Robert, what on earth are you doing on the floor?" She inquired, finally, crossing the library to stand beside them.

"Well, I…Mary and I are just having a bit of fun, aren't we, Darling?" He grinned sheepishly at Mary who nodded and smiled up at Violet.

"Granny, you're just in time for tea!" She explained, holding out one of the other dolls.

Violet frowned at Robert, who really should have known better than to allow all this, but only smiled back at Mary. "Mary, dear, one does not take ones tea on the floor of the library. It is most unladylike."

Frowning, Mary looked to her papa for confirmation. "Really, Papa?"

Smiling softly, Robert shook his head and pulled Mary into his lap. "Well, Darling, a lady makes the rules in her house, so I suppose you are quite alright." He stood, with Mary still in his arms, and raised his eyebrows at his mother. "Would you like to stay for tea, Mama?" He asked.

"No, no thank you. I came to see Cora, actually."

"She is upstairs resting, shall I tell her you stopped by?" Robert asked, struggling to hold Mary, who had begun to wiggle around in his arms

"No, I will see myself up," Violet replied, offering a small nod before turning and heading in the direction of Cora's bedroom.

"Cora, you wanted to see me?" Violet knocked once before letting herself in.

Cora struggled to sit up in bed, but smiled and nodded. "Yes, hello Mama. I suppose my note made it to you, then."

Violet smiled at her daughter-in-law and sat in the chair beside her bed. She had to admit that Cora did look rather well, considering she was due to give birth any time now. She looked a bit tired, perhaps, but otherwise well and she could tell both Cora and Robert, though not Mary, were most excited for the impending arrival.

"What did you need, my dear?" Violet inquired curiously. She was not particularly interested in mysteries nor was she one to ponder things excessively, but she was most curious when she received a note from Cora earlier that day, asking her to come visit.

Cora struggled once more, reaching over into her bedside table. She pulled out a slip of paper and double-checked the writing on it before handing it over to Violet. "Could you have one of your footmen go down to the village and pick this up tomorrow? I planned to do it myself, but the doctor has suggested I not leave the house anymore, and Robert will surely find out if I send one of our servants to do it." She explained.

"Violet eyed the paper and folded it up, slipping it into her pocket. "What needs to be picked up?"

"Oh, it's nothing really. Just something I ordered in London," Cora explained vaguely, as she settled back against her pillows and rested her hands on her abdomen.

"Alright. I will send Meade in the morning. Shall I have it sent up here tomorrow afternoon?" Violet replied, even more curiously now.

Cora shook her head quickly. "No, could you perhaps keep it at the Dower House for a few days? I'll just have my mother bring it back with her when she comes to visit you for tea."

Violet nodded in agreement and stood, both intrigued by her daughter-in-law's request and annoyed that she would soon be having tea with that woman. Nevertheless, Cora had asked her, and she supposed one did these sorts of things for family. After all, Cora would likely be giving birth to the next heir of Downton in a matter of days.

"Thank you," Cora called as Violet moved to leave. She only nodded once more and smiled, having had quite enough odd interactions at Downton today.

Later that evening, after reading three stories to Mary before bed, double checking that everything was ready for Martha's arrival come morning, and having a lengthy conversation with Carson about the Christmas Day plans, Robert was finally settled into bed. He had just closed his eyes and relaxed into his pillow, when he felt Cora's hand on his shoulder, shaking quite vigorously.

"Robert—"

Sitting up as quickly as he had settled in, he flipped the lamp beside the bed on and looked at his wife. She was smiling brightly and looked as though she had been awake for hours, though he had been quite sure she was asleep when he entered the room not ten minutes earlier.

"Cora, what is it—" He asked, pausing slightly as he realized what must be happening. "Is it…is it time?" He asked, more frantically, hopping up and fishing his dressing gown up from off the floor.

Cora raised her eyebrows in confusion but began to giggle as she realized what Robert was doing. "Darling, no, it isn't time yet," she replied, rubbing her hand over her abdomen. "I was wondering if you could get something for me?"

Sighing in relief, as all he really wanted to do was get some rest, Robert sat back down on the edge of the bed and dropped the dressing gown back to the floor. "Yes, of course, what is it that you want? Another blanket? Some water?"

Cora grinned sweetly at him and shook her head. "No…could you get me some biscuits, the ones from this afternoon?" She asked.

"Cora, everyone has gone to bed. I doubt the hall boys will know where to find them," he replied gently.

"Oh, yes, I know. That's why I woke you. Could you go down to the kitchen for them?"

"You want me to go down to the kitchen for biscuits?" Robert asked, standing up once more.

"Well I suppose not, if you don't want to," Cora replied, her face falling slightly.

Robert held up his hand to keep her from continuing. "Alright, I'll go." He conceded rather quickly. Throwing his dressing gown once again, he trudged out of the room, lamp in hand toward the kitchen. Nearly twenty minutes later, as he had gotten a bit confused by all the cabinets and closets in the kitchen, he returned wit a plate piled full of biscuits.

Cora ate them happily as Robert looked on, willing himself not to fall asleep as he knew it would upset her. By the time she made it through the entire plate, he could feel his eyes drooping. Cora handed him the empty plate and grinned, brushing the crumbs from her nightdress.

"Thank you, Darling." She murmured, patting the empty space beside her.

"May I go to bed now?" Robert chuckled, discarding the plate on the bedside table before settling into bed and getting under the covers.

Cora nodded and curled up against him. "Could you do one more thing for me?" She whispered.

"Oh, what now?" He groaned softly, moving to sit back up.

Cora stopped him, though, and pressed herself more deliberately against him this time. He could see her mischievous smile with the moonlight filtering into the room and he realized rather quickly what she wanted this time. It had seemed, most strangely, that Cora was more interested in their intimate activities than before. It was as though their roles had reversed, in a way, as now he woke many a night to her roaming hands on his body. And this night was apparently no different. She said nothing else and simply let her lips find his neck, quickly trailing kisses down to his chest as she made quick work of his pajama buttons. He turned her onto her side, throwing his nightclothes off excitedly before slipping back beneath the blankets and into Cora's embrace.

It appeared that he would not be getting much sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: A very Merry Christmas to all my readers! In the spirit of the holiday, I will try to post the next chapter very soon.

* * *

The house was in a state of utter chaos come morning. Carson was shouting directions left and right as footmen and maids ran up and down attempting to ready themselves for the _American invasion_, as the Dowager Countess had so kindly been referring to Martha Levinson's impending arrival.

For all the commotion below stairs, everyone upstairs was having a much smoother morning. Robert and Cora were able to dress and pick up Mary from the nursery just in time before Carson arrived at the door to the library, explaining that the car was nearly back from the train station.

Cora insisted on getting out of bed to greet her mother, an insistence that made Robert most annoyed. As he watched his very pregnant wife struggle to hold Mary, who she also insisted on carrying, and waddle out of the library, he knew he should never have backed down so easily. He did not know very much about pregnancy or feminine matters, but he was quite sure that Cora looked about ready to deliver their child, right out in the driveway.

But it made Cora happy and so he remained quiet, standing beside her as they watched the car approach down the long drive. Mary clapped with excitement and waved as she watched the car pull to a stop. And when her grandmamma hopped out, she wiggled right out of her mama's grasp and ran in the direction of the car.

"My darlings!" Martha cried with great enthusiasm, picking Mary up and approaching her daughter and son in law. She grinned widely; her fur coat and cloud of perfume making just the sort of entrance that Violet could not stand.

"Mama, I'm so glad to see you," Cora grinned back and embraced her mother once more, careful not to press against her stomach too firmly.

Robert greeted his mother in law with as much excitement as he could muster before ushering everyone back to the library for tea. He supposed it would be best for Cora to at least give birth in the library, if she _insisted _on remaining downstairs all day. Mary was bouncing all around the room and chattering endlessly about America and Grandmamma's house and the toys she wanted for Christmas. Cora looked exhausted as she took a seat beside her mother, but Martha was happy to occupy Mary for them.

Martha happily indulged her, and even pulled a small doll out of her travel bag, chuckling when Mary squealed with glee and skipped off to the corner of the room to play with her new doll from America.

"Cora you look very well, my dear," Martha commented, sipping on her tea as she gave her daughter a once over glance. She had not been at Downton for Mary's birth and so she had no idea what Cora looked like the last time she was pregnant. She did seem to be in good spirits, if not a bit tired, so she assumed all was perfectly well.

Cora nodded, reaching for Robert's hand. "I feel well, though the doctor has insisted I stay in bed most of the time," she murmured, with slight annoyance.

"Well what on earth are you doing down here?" Martha laughed, eyeing Robert and noticing his perturbed expression.

"I won't be treated like an invalid," Cora replied, taking a long sip of her tea. "I was going mad, staying in bed all day. I only come down for tea and dinner." She sighed once more, hoping Robert took note of the displeasure in her tone, and looked at her mother with a grin. "Robert thinks I'm going to break, or something."

"—I do not!" Robert interrupted, frowning and dropping his wife's hand. "Cora, we only have three more days until Christmas. I simply want to get through the holiday without incident and I certainly do not want any harm to come to you and the baby." He rolled his eyes and pressed a kiss to Cora's temple, letting out a sigh of his own. She could be incredibly stubborn at times, and he had no idea how he was going to keep her in bed come Christmas. She always loved Christmas, and he doubted it would be possible to keep her away from the tree and piles of gifts.

Martha remained quiet as the couple traded mirthful glances and rolled their eyes at one another. She rather enjoyed seeing them bicker about this. She knew Cora would listen to the doctor, and Robert would try his very best to keep her happy, but she did have to admit it was rather fun to watch a bit of excitement unfold. Their arguments were not the bitter, angry sorts that Martha worried the young couple might have, but rather, they were the endearing sorts that suggested the two cared about each other a very great deal. Watching them steal glances at one another, she decided it was time to offer them a bit of space.

"Well, I am off to freshen up and take a nap. I suppose I'll see you both at luncheon?" Martha inquired, gathering her bag and discarded furs.

Robert and Cora nodded, rang for Carson, and watched the footman lead her in the direction of the guest room that had been prepared.

"Cora, perhaps you should go back upstairs and rest? I could come and bring a book to read—" Robert began, as soon as the door swung shut. Cora cut him off midsentence, though, with a rather stern glare.

"I am absolutely not going back upstairs. Not now at least." She replied firmly, patting her husband's knee and chuckling softly. "I really will go mad up there, you know."

"Oh you will? You're not being a tad melodramatic?" Robert gazed at his wife and smiled despite himself.

"Absolutely not," Cora murmured, leaning in slightly and pressing her lips to his, very gently. Robert's hums of pleasure encouraged her and she continued her attentions, running her fingers through the curls of his hair at the back of his neck and back down the front of his shirt and toward the waist of his trousers.

Pulling back a moment later, her stern glare had all but melted away, leaving in its wake a rather mischievous expression.

"We could go upstairs if you promise to entertain me," Cora whispered, reaching for his hands and attempting to stand.

Robert looked uncomfortable, and quite unsure. He stood, albeit uneasily, and tried to smile softly at his wife. "I did say I would read to you…" he muttered, shifting slightly.

"Robert, that is not what I meant by _entertain,"_ Cora grinned even wider, finally capturing his hands in her own grasp and stepping closer.

For whatever odd reason, Robert had refused her advances the previous night, midway through their _activities_. He explained it made him uncomfortable; that he felt he might be hurting the baby. She felt badly telling him it was a most ridiculous notion, and so she had let him hold onto his utterly English embarrassment.

But now, as it happened for a second time, she found his utterly English embarrassment less charming and more horribly irritating than she thought she would.

Robert took a step back, biting his lip awkwardly. "Cora you know how I feel about that." He blushed, taking yet another step back.

He felt incredibly awful, especially after taking in the look on her face. He tried, he had tried the night before, but suddenly it seemed as though Cora's abdomen was larger than ever, and well the thought of the baby in there made him want to throw his pajamas right back on and roll to the very edge of their bed. She needed rest, and he did not want her to feel she had to...please him in any way. So, he had feigned a headache the previous night, and rolled very awkwardly to the edge of the bed, re-buttoning his night shirt and silently praying that the baby would arrive soon.

Cora only rolled her eyes. "Fine. Be that way. I will see you at luncheon." She turned on her heels in the direction of the door, not bothering to continue their conversation.

"Where are you going?" Robert called, frowning deeply.

"To _rest_!" Cora shouted, pulling the door shut with a loud bang behind her.

* * *

Nearly three hours later, luncheon was served.

Mary was absent, as she had fallen asleep in the nursery whilst playing with her new dolls. Violet was absent as well, as she was avoiding Martha for as long as possible and had sent up a note welcoming her instead. So, the table was a rather intimate affair, with only Robert, Cora and Martha present.

Martha sensed something was wrong as soon as Cora entered the room; nearly ten minutes after luncheon had already started. Robert had been fidgeting for the full ten minutes, eager to go check on her, but Martha insisted that he give her a bit of space.

When Cora did emerge, her face was twisted into an odd sort of frown, and she looked as though she was pondering something, or perhaps had a headache. She was quiet for the first half of the meal, often staring down at her lap, or off into space, and Robert kept looking over with concern, noting the obvious change in her as well.

"Cora, are you quite alright?" Martha finally asked, midway through her main course.

Cora nodded slowly, as if convincing herself that she was indeed alright. "Yes, I'm fine. I have a headache, and I think I'll ask you all to excuse me," she explained, standing carefully from her seat.

"Darling, are you sure you're alright?" Robert stood as well, frowning and reaching over to steady her.

"Yes, I'm fine. Can you help me back upstairs please?"

"Of course. But Cora, this isn't…I—you aren't upset about earlier, are you?"

Cora blushed to a deep shade of red, pulling her arm away from Robert's grasp as she turned to face her mother's confused expression. "Robert—" she hissed, her jaw tightening in anger, "have you lost all good sense and sense of privacy?"

Robert sputtered with apologies but Martha looked most pleased.

"Oh do tell, darlings. A little lovers quarrel perhaps?" Martha was indeed most pleased. She turned in her seat to face the standing couple, and rested her chin on her curled up fist, eyeing them curiously.

"Cora, I'm sorry! You know how I feel about all that; not when you're this close to having…I don't want to hurt you—" Cora's blush crept right down to her neck and chest, crawling down her body as he continued to speak. He reached out for her hand once more, but she shifted backward, toward the table. Robert followed her movement, but she refused to give him her hand.

"Robert I do think you have lost your mind," Cora's low voice frightened him a bit and her expression was no more reassuring. "You speaking about our private, intimate business in the dining room, and with my mother present!"

They both turned as Martha let out a loud guffaw, obviously realizing what precisely the couple was discussing. She motioned to Carson to leave them before standing and approaching.

"My dears, I won't tell a soul," Martha assured, with a pat on the shoulder for them both. "Though I cannot promise to forget something as wonderfully funny as that," She winked, patting her daughter once more before moving back to her seat.

Cora and Robert stood quite still in the middle of the dining room, staring at each other as if it were a contest of some sort. Cora still looked rather annoyed but Robert was already inching toward her once again.

He took her hands; a gesture he hoped would cool things down. "Cora, I am sorry. Do you want me to take you upstairs?"

Cora pressed her hands tightly to his, and took a step closer. "If you ask me to go upstairs one more time, I am going to—"

Cora froze mid sentence, her eyes shooting down to the floor. Robert was bewildered, for only a brief second, before realizing that his shoes were wet.

Only another second passed before he realized the floor all around them was wet as well.

This time it was Cora who wore the bewildered expression, her mouth dropping open as she surveyed the damage of the wet rug and her damp skirts. "Robert…I think you will have to take me upstairs now," she whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! There will be one more chapter after this and then possibly an epilogue if there is interest. Oh, and I did create a middle name for Little Lady Edith...so, that's that!

* * *

Another scream echoed down the hallway.

For over four hours Robert had waited outside the door to Cora's room, alternating between pacing and standing still, hoping to overhear some of the goings on. After the doctor arrived he had been shut out of the room, left out in the hall to stare blankly at the wall as Cora's screams and cries pierced through him.

Martha had gone in the room as well, soon followed by his mother who had been summoned from the Dower House.

Not five minutes after her arrival, Violet exited the bedroom, looked at Robert, and declared she would be waiting in the library—away from Martha.

So Robert was left in the hallway. Every so often he could hear the unintelligible sounds of Cora's voice, speaking rather than crying out, and he could even make out the doctor's and Martha's voices as well. But it had been several hours and he couldn't help but worry just a bit.

Mary's birth had gone rather quickly. They were at Lockson for a party when the labor began, and by the time they returned to Downton and had the doctor summoned, it was only about an hour before the entire process was finished and their daughter in front of them. This time was different. Minutes had turned to hours and the inhabitants of the house, staff included, flitted about as if their shoes were on fire. No one could sit still and the anticipation was reaching alarmingly high levels.

Robert had been able to sneak back into the room once. Spotting a maid coming down the hallway with a fresh pitcher of water, he quickly commandeered the task and let himself in, only to be met with a perplexed look from the doctor and a horrified look from Cora. She screamed at him to get out, something about her not wanting him to see her like that, and Martha quickly guided him back to the hallway with an indulgent smile. She promised to let him know how things were progressing, but she hadn't been out for over an hour now.

So he sat, waiting and waiting, hoping the baby would soon arrive.

Another scream pulled him from his thoughts. This scream was louder than the once before, he was quite sure of it. A second loud noise that followed confirmed it, and he felt his heart begin to beat faster, suddenly rather nervous about the whole situation.

He weighed his options as Cora let out another low moan from behind the door. Going down to the library to have a drink would perhaps calm his nerves, but then again that would leave him alone with Mama—who no doubt would talk endlessly about how she hoped for a grandson. A walk would be nice, well the fresh air would be, but it was very cold and nearing dark. His gaze wandering to his dressing room door and he sat up excitedly, knowing exactly what to do.

He crept into the room quietly, like a small child on the verge of doing something naughty, and approached the connecting door between his and Cora's room. Reaching it, he kneeled down ever so slightly and peered through the keyhole, unable to contain his curiosity or excitement for a moment longer.

The hole was rather small and ineffective for what he intended, but it was better than nothing. He could see Cora reflected in the mirror directly across from the keyhole. She was sitting up in bed, clutching the sheets very tightly as the doctor stood before her, saying something Robert couldn't really hear. Martha was in the corner, looking on with a slight frown, and when Cora cried out again, Martha stood, looking as though she wanted to hold her daughter and ease the pain in some way. He felt his hand creeping up toward the knob, a strong urge to burst into the room and help, but just as his fingers met the cool metal, a light tapping on his shoulder caused him to jump right up, nearly out of his skin.

Whipping around, a very guilty look on his face, he was met with the curious eyes of Mary, who was already in her nightdress and carrying her favorite dolly.

"Papa what were you looking at?" She frowned slightly, pointing at the doorknob.

Robert let out a deep breath, thankful he had only been discovered by Mary, and quickly picked up his daughter, carrying her away from the door and over to the dressing room bed.

"I was just checking to see if the knob was in good working order," he explained, smiling and leaning down to kiss her forehead.

Mary looked unconvinced, but accepted his explanation and brushed the hair out of her face before looking up at him once more. "Papa, is Mama hurt?" She murmured, reaching for his hand and squeezing it with her own. "I heard her shouting all the way from my room," she explained, frowning more deeply.

He smiled, a very soft smile at his worried daughter, and held tightly to her little hand. "No, Mama is not hurt. But very soon the baby will be here, and so it takes a while. We must be very quiet and wait and in a bit the doctor will come to get us."

Mary's frown was unwavering and Robert watched as her dark eyes began to fill with tears, and her face more perceptible lines of upset. "I want to see Mama now," she whined, cuddling into her papa's arms and looking up at him rather pitifully.

Robert shook his head. "Not just yet, Mary. How about we take a walk down to the kitchen and get you a biscuit?"

She nodded happily at this suggestion, and Robert muttered a near silent thank you for her easy assent. Cora's groans were only getting louder and he did not want Mary any more upset than she already was. By the time he carried her out of the room and made it to the staircase, he heard another scream and bounded down the stairs and away from the room as quickly as possible.

A short while later, Mary and her papa were seated in the kitchen, munching on biscuits and giggling as Mrs. Warren made her way around the kitchen, banging various pots and pans and bringing plate after plate of cookies for them. Robert was glad to have Mary there, as she was a most welcome distraction from the activities upstairs, and she seemed blissfully unaware of how their family was about to expand.

By her third treat, Mary's face was entirely covered in chocolate and she managed to get it all over her nightdress as well. Looking down at her hands, she huffed and tried to wipe them on her pajamas once more. "Papa, this is very messy," she complained, while ineffectually wiping.

Robert grinned and scooped her up from the counter, brushing the crumbs from her face with the back of his hand and nodding his thanks to the kitchen staff. "I think we should get you washed up, Darling."

Mary nodded in agreement, as she wanted to be nice and clean so she could stop in and visit Mama, but as soon as Papa made it up the servant's staircase and back to the main hall, they were met by Carson, who had just come from upstairs.

"Papa, upstairs," Mary insisted, as Carson approached. She didn't know why but suddenly she felt rather upset and like something was not at all right. She clung to her papa but she felt him holding her less tightly than before.

He started murmuring something to placate her, but was interrupted by Carson once he crossed the distance and stood before them.

Carson's uncharacteristically wide grin revealed the news before he spoke a word.

"Milord, her Ladyship has delivered the baby. The doctor is still with her, but you may go up."

Mary looked up at her father's expression, a mixture of excitement and shock, and looked to Carson who wore a similar face. She watched as he reached out to shake Carson's hand, and she watched as Granny emerged from the library with a smile too. Before she knew it, Papa had rushed across the room and set her down beside Granny, saying something about coming back to get her in a while.

He ran up the stairs, leaving her in her rumpled nightdress. She heard a strange noise that sounded like a cry, but this time it wasn't Mama's voice. When Granny picked her up and handed her off to Nanny, muttering something about cleaning up the mess of chocolate, Mary felt rather slighted. Granny disappeared up the stairs as well, and instead of being brought to see Mama, she was whisked off to the nursery, wondering what on earth that baby needed with _her _mama and papa already.

Robert entered the room and everything around him was a haze of abstract emotion. His eyes were unable to decide what to focus on first as they tried to take in the frenzied scene before him. The doctor was writing something on a large official looking piece of stationary as the nurse stood beside and dictated. Martha was sitting on the chaise by the washroom and he became aware of her soft tears as he approached.

Then his eyes found Cora.

Her face was flushed a bright red and her eyes, though tired, were lit up and fixed on the small bundle of blankets cradled in her arms. She turned at the sound of his steps, and grinned widely, nodding her head to the place beside her.

"Robert," she breathed quietly. "This is our daughter." She turned to look up, her eyes wet with the emotion of delivery and new life, searching his face for a response.

"A daughter…_Edith," _he murmured their chosen name in response, still staring at his wife. Cora, his beautiful Cora, was smiling and reached to clutch his arm—a gesture that finally snapped him from the cloud of utter happiness he was shrouded in. "A daughter!" This time his voice was louder, filled with mirth, as he leaned in to kiss his wife.

It was only after several seconds passed that her words and the reality of it all finally sunk in. Robert became aware of the mewling baby in her arms and felt his heart could burst with the sound of the tiny baby, his daughter, lying in his wife's arms. Leaning forward slightly, Robert's eyes met the curious stare of his daughter, whose light blonde hair and dark hazel eyes made her uniquely new and separated her from her sister almost immediately. Her tiny fists balled up and waved around and when his fingers traced over her hand, her own little fingers curled around him, her eyes still fixed intently on her parents.

"You can hold her now," Cora finally whispered, willing to release her baby for a little while. Robert nodded without ever moving his gaze from Edith, holding his arms out in the way he had been taught years earlier, and sighing softly when Cora settled her into his grasp.

He had forgotten the slight, delicate weight of a newborn, and felt his arms freeze up slightly as Cora fussed with the blankets around the baby. After making sure her newest little darling was wrapped securely, she leaned back and hummed contentedly, resting her head on her husband's shoulder.

"Lady Edith Margaret Crawley, I'm so very glad you're here," Robert said softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek and rocking her very slowly.

Cora looked on indulgently and willed herself not to fall asleep. Not just yet, at least. She wanted to enjoy it all for a while longer before sleep. The room had cleared soon after Robert's arrival, though neither of the new parents seemed to notice, and they were left alone with only the crackling fire and whimpering baby.

"What a marvelous Christmas gift," Cora noted, her finger stroking back and forth the baby's cheek in lazy circles. Robert nodded, still watching Edith intently and pressed another kiss to Cora's forehead in reply.

When Edith's eyes drooped shut a moment later, Robert finally looked back at his wife, who was nearly asleep as well. "You've made me the happiest man in all of England, Darling." He kissed her again, feeling the words and small touches did not adequately convey just how very happy he was.

Their daughter lay before them, and once again he thought his heart might burst with the excitement of it all.

What began as the two of them, both unsure and fragile, had turned to three and made them a family. And now, rounded to a perfect four, Robert felt his world come together in a way it was always meant to be.

And with the overwhelming pride of a new father, Robert watched his wife and baby sleep, his eyes guarding them as he recited silent promises to keep them safe from harm and as happy as they could possibly be.

His darling girls.

His family.


	4. Chapter 4

The next three days passed in a blur of holiday merriment and endless baby paraphernalia. The house welcomed an endless line of visitors who had come from all over the county to welcome the newest little Crawley. Martha had settled into the house and Rosamund and Marmaduke arrived early on Christmas Eve. The house was bustling and everyone was in an unusually joyous mood.

Cora had enjoyed the visitors and well wishes, though she did already rather miss a full night's sleep. Christmas Day was no exception, and she woke with a splitting headache to the sounds of a child's cry.

Her eyes cracking open, she realized that something was not quite right. And as she sat up, that fact was confirmed. It was not exactly Christmas Morning quite yet; rather, it was nearing two o'clock in the morning. Still pitch black out, there would be no opening of presents or Christmas morning breakfast for several hours.

But as everything clicked into place, and she remembered her baby, the tiny darling little baby who had taken up residence in their bedroom, she stretched out and reached for the buttons on her nightgown, reflexively readying herself to feed Edith again.

Midway through her sleepy actions she realized that Edith was still fast asleep in the bassinette at the foot of their bed. Creeping down the bed and peering over, she watched Edith's tiny soft breaths and peaceful expression. It was not Edith who had woken her up. More alert now, she strained her ears for a moment before realizing what the distant noise was and why it had woken her.

It was not Edith crying, it was Mary.

Cora gathered up her dressing gown from the vanity chair and kissed her baby's cheek before making her way, albeit slowly, out to the hall. Cora had barely been out of bed, as she was still rather sore, but she was certainly not about to get back into bed and pretend as though she didn't hear her daughter's cries.

Mary had been in a particularly delicate mood ever since her new sister's arrival. Cora saw her a few hours after the big event, when both she and Edith had been cleaned up, fed, and had rested for a while. Robert carried her in and she knew immediately that her sweet Mary was not pleased. The frown on her face was the spitting image of Violet's signature grimace, and her small hands were balled into frustrated fists. She took one look at the baby in Cora's arms before bursting into tears and crying for her mama.

It took nearly an hour of gentle reassurances before Mary calmed down enough to meet her sister properly. She had eyed the baby curiously from the safety of her mama's embrace but had no real interesting in seeing her up close. Edith had been put in the bassinette as soon as Mary's tantrum started, and Mary, for one, thought it a rather good place to keep the little thing! She didn't need a sister. No, she simply needed her mama and papa back. Though she did have to admit that this "Edith" looked just like a little dolly and did have very pretty hair almost the same color as Aunt Rosamund's…

Their interactions had been brief and strained by Mary's obvious reluctance to be ousted as only child. After reluctantly kissing her new sister on the forehead, Mary had been taken out of the room and Cora had barely seen her since. And so now, walking down the long hall toward the nursery, she was rather afraid of the scene she might find.

Clicking the door open, the sound of Mary's wails echoed down the hall and startled her quite a bit. The room was completely dark save for the soft glow of one small oil lamp that had been left on. As soon as Mary saw her mama, her tears only intensified and she stood, toddling over and wrapping her arms around Cora's legs.

Cora reached down to pick up her sobbing child, but felt a sharp pain pulling at her abdomen. Mary looked up at her pitifully and seemed even more distraught when she realized that her mother was unable to lift her. Instead, Cora eased down onto the floor and pulled Mary into her lap.

She rocked her slowly, as she used to each night before settling her into her crib, and hummed the song that would always put her to sleep. Eventually Mary's breathing slowed and her sobs became soft whimpers. "Now my Darling, what is all this about?" She asked quietly, running her fingers through Mary's tangled curls.

Mary's lower lip trembled and she only wrapped her arms more securely around her mother before attempting an explanation. "I told Nanny I wanted to see you and she said no, that only Edith was allowed to see you," Mary replied in one quick breath. "And I want you and Papa but now only Edith is allowed and it isn't fair, Mama!" She added, looking up entreatingly.

Cora smiled at her incredibly stubborn little girl, both amused and concerned by the sharpness of her tone and the intensity of her gaze. "We talked about this, my Dear. Edith needs me right now, she is very little and little babies need attention from their mamas and papas. You wouldn't want Edith to get sick, would you?"

Mary's brow furrowed in annoyance. Mama always made her feel better but she was talking about Edith again. "Mama, can't she go back in there?" Mary asked, poking a finger into Cora's abdomen.

Cora winced, feeling another sharp pain in her muscles at Mary's touch, and shook her head. "No, Edith is your sister and our daughter. She is going to stay right here with us."

"Forever?" Mary asked softly, looking rather defeated.

"Yes, forever. Our family will always stay together. That means you and Edith and Mama and Papa." Cora leaned down to press a kiss to Mary's forehead, sealing the promise and hoping that Mary would begin to understand.

Mary was silent for a long moment before looking back up and nodding slowly. "Alright," she replied. "But, Mama?"

"Yes, my Darling?"

"Will Santa Clause still bring me presents in the morning or will they be only for Edith?" Mary asked, standing up from her mama's lap and looking very worried.

Cora giggled and stood as well, smiling down at Mary. "Of course there will be presents for you. There will be presents for you both."

Mary nodded again and wiped her face with the back of her hand. Cora reached out to take her hand and began leading her back to bed before having another idea.

"Mary, sweetheart, would you like to come stay in my room tonight?" Cora delighted in Mary's immediate reaction; a brighter face complete with excited squeals at the prospect.

"Yes!" She grinned and shook her head empathetically.

Cora moved to pick her up but felt the familiar twinge of pain and settled for clasping her daughter's hand instead. Mary skipped down the hall beside her and tiptoed quietly into her parent's room.

With a little help from Cora, Mary climbed up onto the bed and curled up right beside her Papa. He was snoring rather loudly and it provoked soft giggles from both Cora and Mary. The two Crawley women only shook their heads and settled into bed, both sighing happily when a still-snoring Robert shifted slightly and draped an arm over them both.

"I love you, Mama," Mary whispered.

Cora leaned down and kissed her daughter once more. "I love you too, Darling."

* * *

Only a few hours after Cora's late night escapade in the nursery, she awoke to a much louder cry. This time it was in fact Edith, and her little cries pulled not only Cora, but also Robert and Mary from sleep as well.

Mary, completely ignoring her sister's cries, hopped up from bed and declared that she absolutely had to go wake Aunt Rosamund and then check to see if Santa Clause had come. Her parents waved her away and watched with mirthful expressions as she bounded out of the room in pursuit of her Aunt. Cora reached for Edith and adjusted herself back against the pillows before settling in to feed her.

Robert snuck away to his dressing room as Cora nursed the fussing baby, and returned a few moments later wearing a mischievous grin and holding a small wrapped gift.

Cora was pleased to find that her nursing a baby no longer made Robert uncomfortable. With Mary, he would often leave the room red-faced and muttering something about propriety. He never tried to sway her decision, but she knew it had been an adjustment for him. As Violet had told her countless times, it simply was not done this way at Downton. But Cora was not about to hand her children off to just anyone, and so she nursed them both, relishing in the closeness it offered her and the ability to stare into the tiny content face, the face that already looked a mixture of hers and Robert's.

Robert slid back into bed beside her and held out the package as she laid Edith on the blankets in front of them. Gurgling happily, the baby swung her fists around and looked up at the ceiling.

"For you," he explained, holding out the poorly wrapped box with the enthusiasm of a little boy hoping for praise. He grinned excitedly and leaned over to kiss her as well.

Cora tore off the paper and opened the small box with a curious smile. She half expected some horrid novel about the scenery of England or some sort of odd patterned hat. She knew that Robert had been busy preparing the house for the holidays and Edith's arrival, and she was not expecting any sort of grand gift. So when she opened the box to reveal a beautiful gold ring, with four small pearls, she gasped a most unladylike gasp.

"There is a pearl for each of us," Robert explained quietly, helping her slip the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly and made her lower lip tremble with emotion, her hormones and her husband's incredibly sweet gift conspiring to make her weep for the thousandth time since Edith's arrival.

She settled for a kiss instead, and brushed away the stray tears as she settled into her husband's arms. "It's perfect, Darling."

* * *

A mountain of gifts had been unwrapped and the adults were lounging in the library around the fireplace, sipping tea and nibbling on the biscuits the servants had left out. Mary had long abandoned them all in favor of playing with her new dollhouse and so Cora was left only to care for Edith who was sleeping in her arms.

Violet had looked on with a disapproving raise of her brow and insisted that a baby that small should be left upstairs in the nursery. Robert and Cora both laughed and explained that there was simply no way Edith would be missing out on her very first Christmas. And besides, her arrival had been the most wonderful gift of all. It seemed a pity to keep her from everyone else when her presence brought so many smiles. Every so often she would gurgle and the room would fill with coos and gentle laughter, all the adults complete besotted with the tiny girl.

Eventually the party disbanded for the afternoon and Cora headed upstairs to spend some time with Mary and her mother. Martha had wandered off midway through their luncheon, explaining that she promised Mary a game of dress up. God only knew what the two of them were getting up to, and if their games of dress up in Newport were any indication, it was perhaps better off that they kept it contained to the nursery.

The only two who remained in the library were Robert and Rosamund, who were both relaxing on the settee in quite contentment. Robert, after a bit of persuading, had even convinced Cora to leave Edith with him. And now finally awake, she lay in his arms staring up at him. He felt his heart clench tightly in response each time her long eyelashes fluttered open and closed, or her tiny fingers wrapped around his own. Her pale skin was a mirror image of Cora's and her light hair matched his mother's and Rosamund's almost exactly. He stared at her intently for untold minutes, not realizing that Rosamund had been staring at him waiting for an opportunity to speak.

It was Rosamund who broke the silence, finally, with a sideways glace at her brother and a slight frown.

"I have some gossip you might be interested in," she interjected, reaching over to stroke the baby's soft cheek.

"Oh?" He replied, only vaguely aware of Rosamund's words. He was too busy staring down into Edith's dark eyes, making silly faces at her and running his fingers over her hands and feet. She mesmerized him and he had trouble focusing on much else besides the new life he and Cora had created.

"It's about Benjamin Webster."

There was little that could pull Robert's attention from his daughter, but Rosamund's words had an immediate effect. Robert felt his body tense and his head turned from his daughter's face to Rosamund's. He wanted Cora to be there, so that she could take Edith out of his arms, for fear of accidently jostling her in a fit of anger. But Cora was upstairs and Edith still situated in his lap. So he took a breath and placed a hand over Edith's chest, feeling a great deal of comfort from the rhythm of her tiny heartbeat.

"What is it?" He asked, in a voice lower than he expected. He didn't want to hear anything about that horrible man—ever. He still had a burning desire to kill him, or at least punch him again, and knew that he would never be able to control himself if they were ever in the same room. He had put his hands on Cora, on his wife, and the memory of the bruises, of the sounds she made as she sobbed, would never be erased from his memory.

The anger was more distant now, and with Edith's arrival it made the unpleasantness fade to the haze of the past. But the sound of his name still grated on him like broken glass and he had no desire to speak of it around his wife or children.

Rosamund edged closer and put a hand on his shoulder. She looked down at the baby and sighed softly before speaking. "Apparently his wife left him. Took the children and moved back to her family home in London. Word is that he was caught at some bar in France, trying to assault a woman whose husband turned out to be some diplomat. It was splashed all over the papers there and so Laurel left—" She paused, allowing him a moment to digest to sordid details.

Robert's jaw was still clenched tightly and he had a rather tenuous grasp on his anger. Looking down at Edith, he saw before him all that he nearly lost. All that was nearly taken by that man. _"It could have been Cora," _he murmured, more to himself than Rosamund. Overcome with emotion, he felt his own eyes well with tears and he tried to turn from his sister.

Rosamund smiled softly and only moved closer, rubbing his back reassuringly and shaking her head in disagreement. "No, you would never have let that happened. You mustn't think like that. Cora is safe, and Edith—look how perfect the little darling is." You're all terribly blessed. "And I only bring this up because I heard something else…" she explained.

"Well you may as well tell me, now that you've gotten me all agitated," Robert teased, unsure of quite how he felt at the moment.

"Well, after Laurel left and scandal ensued, the horrid man was assigned a new posting…in _Australia,_" Rosamund chuckled lowly, relishing in the horrible fate of the man who had tried to bring such pain to her brother and Cora.

Robert couldn't bring himself to smile, but his face did relax considerably, pleased that the man was in fact going to be kept far, far away from them. He fixed his attention back on Edith, who had begun to mewl in his arms, and resolved to never speak of it to Cora. There was no sense in upsetting her, not now anyway. It was enough to know that he was oceans away, and that he would remain out of their lives forever. Edith whined more insistently and pulled him from his musings once more. "I think she is hungry. I best go find Cora."

"Alright, brother dear. I will see you at dinner." Rosamund stood and watched Robert get up carefully from the couch, clutching the baby against his chest as if she was the most delicate thing he had ever been entrusted with.

She bit her lip, trying to remain emotionless as she watched her brother leave the room with the little girl. She knew how much he loved his family and she was ever so proud of him.

* * *

Hours later, Robert happened on the familiar scene of Cora feeing Edith. It was far past their usual bedtime, but the festivities had gone well into the night (likely due to Martha's presence). Countless bottles of champagne had been opened and there was even a spontaneous dance or two. It wasn't until Martha had an unfortunate run in with Violet, a run in that included a kiss on the cheek and a drink spilled down the front of her dress, that the party did finally break up.

Cora couldn't take part in most of the raucous event, still sore and incredibly tired from the events of the last days, but she had watched with an amused smile as it all unfolded.

And now Robert was exhausted, slightly inebriated, and quite ready for bed. He took Edith from Cora, kissing her gently before settling her into her bassinette and then slipped into bed beside his wife.

Cora hummed happily at his closeness, and burrowed close beside him, wrapping her arms around him and running her hand up and down his chest. "It was a lovely day," she whispered against his nightshirt, leaning up slightly to press a kiss to his neck.

Robert murmured in agreement and held his wife closer. It had indeed been a most wonderful day. He had always loved Christmas, especially as a young boy, and this by far had been the most wonderful one yet. Cora had given him lovely gifts: a new snuffbox, several novels he was eager to read, and a very…romantic…letter that detailed precisely what she wanted to do with him as soon as she had healed from the labor. But nothing, not even that last gift, could compare to the joy of Edith, of making Mary an older sister, and he and Cora parents again.

Cora nestled against his chest, shifting slightly in his arms, and breathed out a soft content sigh. She was asleep already and Robert knew it would only be a few hours before she was woken by Edith again.

As if on cue, Edith whimpered before settling down a moment later; simply making her presence known, she had a habit of making tiny noises that never ceased to delight him.

Robert closed his eyes and kissed Cora's forehead once more.

Thinking about it all before sleep claimed him, he nearly chuckled with the utter absurdity of it all. What had been bourn out of obligation and unsteady promises had grown into his life, his utterly beautiful life. Life, he decided, was absurdly wonderful and had blessed him infinitely.

Somehow he had found Cora, and Cora had given him a life. She had given him someone to protect and someone to care about. And then she gave him children and everything he once thought important seemed so insignificant. His world was complete now, and his once unsure heart was a faded memory he no longer cared to ponder.

It didn't matter what forces had brought them together.

They were together, and he would thank God for his wife and his family every day.

* * *

A/N: This is the last outlined chapter of this little companion story! I hope you all enjoyed it. I do plan on revisiting the world of "Summer in Newport" again, eventually, so it's not really goodbye...just see you later! :)


End file.
